Worshipful Company of Upholders

What Worshipful Company of Upholders does

The Worshipful Company of Upholders is a non-profit Livery Company of the City of London, founded on 1 March 1360 and incorporated by Royal Charter of King Charles I in 1626 (confirmed by a second Charter in 1668). It functions as a membership organization serving two principal constituencies: traditional trade practitioners (upholsterers, soft furnishers, funeral directors, auctioneers, and valuers) and City of London professionals (including Aldermen, High Court Judges, FTSE 100 directors, and senior naval officers) seeking civic engagement and fellowship. The Company ranks 49th in order of precedence among the 114 Livery Companies, which collectively comprise around 45,000 members.

The Company's core offerings are ceremonial and charitable rather than commercial. Its flagship project is the Circle of Life, a 2-metre, 25-panel Opus Anglicanum embroidery artwork marking the 400th anniversary of the Royal Charter, produced with the Royal School of Needlework, 12 English cathedrals, and approximately 100 volunteer stitchers (including prisoners via Fine Cell Work). It also runs an upholsterer training bursary scheme (up to 50% of course fees, up to 10 bursaries annually), a £1,000 Usher Travel Bursary, and three affiliated charitable trusts (The Upholders Charity, The Peter Jackson Charity, The Neville Hayman Charity). Commercial activity is limited to commemorative merchandise (silver cufflinks £120, mugs £12.50, thimbles £5) and an 80-page commemorative book at £18.

Revenue is generated through quarterly membership subscriptions (quarterage — amounts not publicly disclosed), event fees such as £155 per ticket for the Circle of Life unveiling at Guildhall, direct e-commerce sales of commemorative goods, and book pre-orders. Distribution is via the upholders.co.uk website, social media channels, and in-person events including the Lord Mayor's Show, United Guilds' Service, and the Festival of Upholstery. The Company is governed by a Master, Wardens, and Court, has a six-person administrative team, and holds formal affiliations with the Royal Navy (HMS Vigilant, signed October 2025) and Chelmsford Sea Cadets (T.S. Upholder).

Name

Worshipful Company of Upholders

Legal name

The Worshipful Company of Upholders of the City of London

Website

https://upholders.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Worshipful Company of Upholders is a 665-year-old City of London Livery Company serving as a membership body for traditional trade practitioners (upholsterers, funeral directors) and City professionals, generating revenue through quarterage subscriptions, event fees, and commemorative merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions (Quarterage): Members pay quarterly subscriptions (quarterage) to maintain their membership. The Company collects personal information including subscription payment details.
2. Event Fees and Dinners: Revenue generated from event bookings including Court Dinners, Annual Banquets, and other ceremonial gatherings at various London halls.
3. Commemorative Souvenirs and Merchandise: Sale of commemorative items for the 400th anniversary including hallmarked silver cufflinks (£120), lapel pins (£80), tea towels (£12.50), tote bags (£10), commemorative thimbles (£5), and mugs (£12.50). Proceeds support The Upholders Charity.
4. Circle of Life Commemorative Book: Pre-order sales of an 80+ page commemorative book celebrating 400 years of the Company, priced at £18 inclusive of postage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Worshipful Company of Upholders is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London, founded in 1360 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1626. It functions as a membership organization that supports the traditional trades of upholstery, soft furnishings, and funeral directing, while also providing a civic fellowship for City of London professionals. Its core offerings include membership subscriptions (quarterage), ceremonial events (Court Dinners, Annual Banquets), charitable bursaries and scholarships for trade students, and 400th-anniversary commemorative merchandise and publications.

Product overview

The Worshipful Company of Upholders is an ancient Livery Company of the City of London, not a commercial product company. Its primary activities include maintaining traditions of the upholstery and funeral directing trades, supporting charitable causes, and celebrating its 400th anniversary (1626-2026). The organization's notable offerings include the Circle of Life embroidery artwork project, commemorative merchandise (silver cufflinks, lapel pins, tea towels, tote bags, thimbles, mugs), and a commemorative book documenting its history and the Circle of Life project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 400th Anniversary Commemorative Souvenirs A limited collection of commemorative merchandise marking the 400th anniversary of the Company's Royal Charter (1626-2026). Items include hallmarked silver cufflinks (£120), hallmarked silver lapel pins (£80), 100% cotton tea towels (£12.50), 100% cotton tote bags (£10), bone china commemorative thimbles (£5), and bone china commemorative mugs (£12.50). Proceeds support The Upholders Charity. Targeted at members, City of London supporters, and visitors to the Company's ceremonial events.
• Circle of Life Commemorative Book An 80+ page full-colour commemorative book celebrating 400 years of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, featuring the Circle of Life embroidery project, participating cathedrals, Fine Cell Work, the Royal School of Needlework, and the Company's history. Priced at £18 inclusive of postage and packing. Sold to members, heritage craft enthusiasts, and the general public.
• Circle of Life Embroidery Artwork A two-metre circular embroidery artwork created using the Opus Anglicanum technique (medieval English embroidery using silk, gold and silver thread) to mark the 400th anniversary of the Company's Royal Charter. The artwork comprises 25 panels (12 detachable outer story panels, 12 fixed inner panels, and a central panel featuring the Company's armorial bearings), produced with the Royal School of Needlework, 12 English cathedrals, Fine Cell Work, and over 100 volunteer stitchers. Unveiled at Guildhall on 9 July 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2024 the annual charitable donations made by City Livery Companies totalled £81 million, with the Company contributing through its various charitable initiatives.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal School of NeedleworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal School of Needlework is providing practical training, technical oversight and project management for the Circle of Life embroidery project. Their Hampton Court studio is constructing the finished embroidery artwork combining panels from all 12 participating cathedrals.
• Fine Cell WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFine Cell Work is a charity enabling people in prison to redefine themselves through needlework. They are supporting prison-based stitchers to contribute to the Circle of Life project, with stitchers at High Down Prison participating in the Opus Anglicanum embroidery work.
• Participating Cathedrals (12 English Cathedrals)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner12 English cathedrals (St Paul's, Durham, Liverpool, Lincoln, Exeter, St Albans, Winchester, Salisbury, Southwell, Derby, Norwich, and Lichfield) are each creating embroidered panels for the Circle of Life project using Opus Anglicanum technique, with teams of volunteer stitchers.
• Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Company works closely with AMUSF to support the upholstery and soft furnishings trade. The Bob Fowlds Memorial Fund provides bursaries for students studying AMUSF qualifications.
• City of London CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery Companies are integral to the City of London Corporation's governance. The Company participates in elections of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and comes under the Court of Aldermen's oversight.
• HMS Vigilant (Royal Navy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Company has a formal military affiliation with HMS Vigilant, a Trafalgar-class submarine carrying Trident ballistic missiles. An MOU was signed in October 2025 to formalize the partnership. The Company maintains strong naval affiliations spanning over three centuries.
• Lord Mayor's AppealcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Company supports the Lord Mayor's Appeal as part of its charitable giving to City-wide initiatives.
• Chelmsford Sea Cadets / T.S. UpholderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Company supports the Chelmsford Sea Cadets, providing equipment including a new rescue boat. Historical affiliation with HMS Upholder submarine during World War II included sending ship's books, food parcels and comforts to the crew.
• Sammy's FoundationminorOthersProvides heritage craft training for young people with neurodivergence. The Company supports this charity as part of its wider charitable giving.
• The ClinkminorOthersA charity that works with prisoners. Supported by the Company as one of the Master's chosen causes during their year of office.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Worshipful Company of Mercers: Premier Livery Company of the City of London with very similar structure (Royal Charter, Master, Wardens, Court, charitable trusts, ceremonial dinners) and a historical trade focus (mercers/textiles) that intersects with Upholders' upholstery and soft-furnishings mission.
• The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths: Ancient Livery Company operating modern trade regulation (Hallmarking) alongside civic and ceremonial duties in the City of London. Highly comparable operating model - Royal Charter, charitable giving, trade support - to the Worshipful Company of Upholders.
• The Worshipful Company of Skinners: Ancient Livery Company with parallel Royal Charter origins, civic governance role, and charitable trust structure. Useful peer for benchmarking Livery-level governance and recurring-revenue models versus the Upholders.
• The Drapers' Company: One of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London, with parallel governance, philanthropy, and ceremonial roles. It directly co-funded the Upholders' Circle of Life project and shares the same historic-charter, civic-engagement model.
• Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers: City of London Livery Company established to support the furniture and furnishings trades. Closely aligned with the Upholders because both serve the upholstery and soft-furnishings trade community and operate trade bursaries.
• Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF): UK trade body for upholsterers and soft furnishers; core strategic partner that administers the Bob Fowlds Memorial Scholarship bursary jointly with the Upholders Charity and runs the trade qualifications the Upholders' bursaries fund.
• Worshipful Company of Broderers: Small ancient Livery Company of the City of London focused on the embroidery and gold/silver-thread trades. It is one of the funding partners for the Upholders' Circle of Life embroidery project and shares the same membership/civic structure and trade-preservation mission.

Others

• Fine Cell Work: Charity enabling prisoners to train in needlework, with prison-based stitchers at High Down Prison contributing panels to the Upholders' Circle of Life project. A charitable partner whose mission intersects with the Upholders' own trade-based rehabilitation work.
• Royal School of Needlework: Core operational partner on the Circle of Life Opus Anglicanum project, providing studio work, technical oversight, training and project management at Hampton Court. A direct strategic collaboration rather than a competitor but highly comparable on craft/heritage preservation activity.

Broad incumbents

• City of London Corporation: Municipal governing body that oversees all 114 Livery Companies (including the Upholders), and through which the Company participates in Lord Mayor and Sheriff elections. Functions as the parent civic umbrella and the source of the Company's constitutional remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UpholdersLivery
• Facebookfacebook.com/Upholdersliverycompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worshipful-company-of-upholders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Worshipful Company of Upholders